1. Field of the invention
This invention relates generally to safety products for small children and in particular to marking pens used by children for writing and drawing.
2. Description of the prior art
Very young children have a propensity to place nearly every thing they can hold into their mouth. Before a child becomes too mobile it is relatively simple to limit what the he or she handles. As an infant grows it is important to allow the child to express itself for many and various reasons. One manner of expression is through the use of artistic abilities. Many young parents see this as more of a method for babysitting but never the less if a small or young child is given the opportunity to express it self in a visual form it will need the tools to do that.
Typically,in the past children were given paper and pencil or wax crayons and paper as expressive tools. More recently, colorful felt tipped marking pens have become available which, when accompanied by the appropriate recording medium will provide hours of pleasure for the child and relief for the parent.
In order for the parents to feel comfortable they must feel completely satisfied that the tools the child is using are completely safe and non damaging. A three year old child with a conventional marking pen could inflict damage on him/her self or others by thrusting the pen into the eye or mouth or even biting off the tip and swallowing it. Further, the ink could be applied liberally in inappropriate places causing embarrassing and expensive property damage.
A typical marker pen is seen in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 321,719 issued Nov. 19, 1991 to Nitta. The pen consists of a pen barrel with a pocket clip and a grasping area on the outside and a retractable felt tip and plunger on the inside. The pen which is not atypical and could easily cause the personal injury or property damage described above.
There is a need then for a safe, non damaging marking pen particularly adapted for use by small or young children.